I’ve been doing 16:8 fasting for a while now, sometimes I’ll switch it up and do 18:6, my intention is to lose weight but also want to maximize the benefits that come with fasting. I have my calorie intake set to 1650 ( 5’2, 19 F, 221lbs) but i seem to fall well under that calorie intake almost daily, sometimes I barely hit 1k cal, and this is not intentional, I am just either not hungry or too busy to eat (My job alternates between evening and day shifts) Is this bad? And possible counterproductive even? Had anyone else experienced the same? I think it’s because I’ve practically cut out all processed foods that I’m having a hard time reaching my intake.
You risk malnutrition if you don’t eat enough overall to get what you need. As you are overweight your body can eat you for awhile, sure, that’s what weight loss is, and as you are short your calorie requirements will be less but think about it as training to maintain your goal weight. You need the habit of eating enough nourishing food and feeling good about it. So if maintenance of, say, 120lb costs 1,300 kcal then eating that much on average at least will work better. You will only be losing weight a small time, compared to how long you will want to maintain so building healthy habits is key.